Overall Satisfaction with Entrinsik Informer

Entrinsik Informer is available for use by the entire organization while only a few power users from the main departments actually create their own queries. The product allows a single point for querying multiple systems and databases. The UI allows users not familiar with SQL query commands to easily create complex queries and compile results from multiple files to one output.

Allows the creation of custom fields using JavaScript to provide end users with data directly without the need to do post calculations or cleanup. Many times the results required need a calculation based on the data or a field that is not available for query so being able to code the data into the results helps end users run their reports on their schedule without having to work with a technician.

The scheduling functionality allows different departments and users to plan ahead for their needs and either export or email the results. Scheduled reports comes in very handy when you need to export the data to third party companies or to a network location for batch processing. This allows us to provide current data with much more frequency.

LiveExcel functionality gives you the ability to connect your query to Microsoft Excel so users do not need to log into the product to run the results. This also allows the creation of VBA Macros to process the data and provide users with the final product on demand.

The product has had its growing pains as newer versions have come out. The transfer of old queries to the newer systems has caused some duplication of mapped files or fields and they have not come up with a tool yet to help merge these duplication.

Wish they had better internal reporting so I could easily find the different reports that are using links and the fields they are linking with.

I have noticed, being an admin, that the more connections and reports that are available the slower the system becomes when opening it. It would be nice to have nothing come up first and then show more once I drill into the area I want.

Our organization used to use the built in reporting tool for Datatel, but it required more knowledge about SQL so only a handful of users could actually use it. There was no customization of the output or ability to schedule the queries. If you wanted something more complex than what was available, then the programmers needed to write an extraction program to pull the data you needed.

Upon creating the connections to HP-UX the first time around via the instructions, we were not able to access the files. It was not until after we worked with the Tech Support that we learned that extra connection commands were needed on our UNIX box to allow the software to talk to it.

You are able to add user groups to a query to add security and access but if you want to add the grouping to multiple queries, it requires an external tool the company provides. Be careful when using this tool, though, as you cannot use it to remove the group from a batch of reports if you inadvertently add them to ones you did not want.

It makes creating queries very easy for end users so not only research or technicians can do it. The availability for creating Live reports that are accessible via Excel on the network has given many of our users the ability to get the information they need in a format they can use without needing someone to translate the raw data.